The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Electronic equipment includes electrical components and circuits mounted on a substrate that can be sensitive to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI). Such EMI/RFI interference may originate from internal sources within the electronic equipment or from external EMI/RFI interference sources. Interference can cause degradation or complete loss of important signals, thereby rendering the electronic equipment inefficient or inoperable. Accordingly, the circuits (sometimes referred to as RF modules or transceiver circuits) usually require EMI/RFI shielding in order to function properly. The shielding reduces interference not only from external sources, but also from various functional blocks within the module.
As used herein, the term “EMI” should be considered to generally include and refer to both EMI and RFI emissions, and the term “electromagnetic” should be considered to generally include and refer to both electromagnetic and radio frequency from external sources and internal sources. Accordingly, the term shielding (as used herein) generally includes and refers to both EMI shielding and RFI shielding, for example, to prevent (or at least reduce) ingress and egress of EMI and RFI relative to a housing or other enclosure in which electronic equipment is disposed.
By way of example, electronic circuits or components of a printed circuit board (PCB) are often enclosed with shields to localize EMI within its source, and to insulate other devices proximal to the EMI source. Such shields may be soldered or otherwise affixed to the PCB, thus increasing the overall size of the PCB. Soldered shields, however, may need to be removed to repair or replace the covered component, which can be an expensive and time consuming task that can even cause damage to the PCB.
In addition, many electronic components generate significant amounts of heat. Excessive heat build up can lead to reduced product life and reliability.